The present invention relates to the containment of plasma for prolonged periods of time. In certain induced reactions such as nuclear fusion, an ionized plasma is formed, and it is necessary to provide means for containment of the plasma.
Various arrangements have been employed in the prior art, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,758 discloses the use of an external high frequency rotating magnetic field for confining an ionized gas plasma. This type of device produces an inductive potential having a zone of reduced intensity near the center of rotation of the magnetic field, and the ionized gas is concentrated in this zone. Either coaxial coils or a microwave structure may be employed to produce the desired high frequency magnetic field.